businesstraveller.com
LEFT:Bodyscrub
treatment
BELOW:Rooftop
infinitypoolAPRIL 202045Despite being a vital protective response, inflammation
is the villain of the piece when it comes to health, blamed
for ailments ranging from cancers and diabetes to eczema
and arthritis. Yet without it we would be prey to a host of
irritants, which would soon dispatch us. We can reduce
the likelihood of an overzealous autoimmune response
by cutting back on sugary and processed foods, getting
adequate sleep, exercising, limiting alcohol, and engaging
in mindful activities, such as yoga and meditation. Still,
going it alone while immersed in your stressful day-to-day
existence can be difficult. Taking a wholesome break can
provide the necessary support.TAILOR-MADE BREAKS
The new flagship property is a 15-minute walk from the
seaside village of Alvor, home to miles of those golden
sands characteristic of the Algarve. When I visited in early
October it was still warm, in the mid-twenties, yet the
beaches were pleasingly empty. Cobbled streets and seafood
restaurants serving the day’s catch added to its charms.
In contrast, the hotel is extremely contemporary, a sleek,
futuristic white edifice shaped like a wave. Its 70 rooms and
suites, all with balconies, are minimally yet comfortably
decorated, a suitable fit for the brand’s serious edge.
Guests can book a simple recuperative spa break, adding
extra therapies if desired, or sign up for a tailor-madeprogramme, the elements of which range
from health assessments, nutrition and
fitness right up to dental treatment and
plastic surgery. The more involved medical
procedures are carried out in conjunction
with the Hospital Particular do Algarve.
As part of my programme, the first stop
was a biophysical examination, which
sounds far worse than it was. All I had to
do was stand on what looked like weighing
scales and grip the handles. This clever bit
of tech measured body fat, muscle, body
mass index, basal metabolic rate, and fat/
muscle distribution. I wasn’t too worried about
this analysis – surely cycling 15 miles a day and
eating a healthy diet of fruit and veg meant I was
inpretty good shape for my age, although if the
testshowed otherwise I’d be tempted to go back on
thefagsandbooze. Fortunately, the results were positive,
although I was mildly disappointed that I hadn’t been
given a green card to
a life of debauchery.
Next was an even more
intimidating assessment – a
face evaluation. I met with Dr
Joana Santos, a preventive medicine →Other than
the bathrobes,
it’s not your
typical fluffy
spa getaway